


Late Night Discussions

by NightmareVirgil



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-01-01
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:15:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22062424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NightmareVirgil/pseuds/NightmareVirgil
Comments: 5
Kudos: 23
Collections: Sanders Sides Secret Santa 2019





	Late Night Discussions

Roman cursed as he looked at the mark on the wall, right level with every other one. Clearly marking him at 5'1, the shortest side in the mindscape.

And he certainly was short, especially compared to the others. 

Patton was close, around 5'5. Then Virgil, at 5'6. Then came Deceit at a height of 5'8 (though they were never really sure).

Remus was next, also at 5'8. How he got taller than Roman, not even Logan figured that out.

Speaking of Logan, he was the tallest of them at 6'6. Quite literally towering over Roman, talking to him was always a struggle.

Roman glanced up at the others' height marks, sighing as he was once more reminded of his short stature.

He often tried to combat it, wearing heeled boots and standing straighter than a ruler in an effort to be taller, but his efforts hardly worked. Logan had offered to help, trying to create some sort of sciency concoction Roman couldn't begin to understand.

That also failed.

So Roman was left the shortest.

He picked at a loose thread on his sash before waving a hand to dismiss the princely outfit in favor of some red pajama pants patterned with golden crowns, and a shirt with his logo on it. After grabbing a blanket, he wrapped it around himself like a cape and trudged down the stairs into the common area.

The day was like most others, really. Logan was on the couch, arguing politely with Deceit over morals and ethics. Virgil was passed out on the floor, probably after a long night, with Remus next to him watching something on his phone. 

It sickened Roman to think of them like that, in a joking way of course. Who else for his brother than his best friend, hmm?

Patton was in the kitchen, and the first to notice Roman's presence. He waved, beaming, and quickly turned on the coffeepot.

"Hey Roro! C'mere, help me out!" He set his spoon aside.

"Hey, Pat." Roman yawned. "Baking again?"

"Yep! I found a chocolate thumbprint cookie recipe, I'm making them with Logan's favorite Crofters flavor!" Patton smiled, radiating happiness that Roman so desperately needed. He passed Roman a cup of coffee, noting the side's appeared tiredness.

"He'll love them, Pat, he always loves your baking." Roman leaned over, snatching some of the cookie dough. "Damn, this is delicious!" 

Patton laughed, playfully bapping him with the spoon. "Hey, I need that!" 

Roman laughed, grinning at Patton as his insecurity from earlier began to fade away. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sides spent the rest of the day in and out of the kitchen and commons, napping, debating, baking, or just talking. A perfect day, in Roman's eyes. 

He continued to have that lingering anxiety, though...every time Logan got up to get something, or every time Deceit stood up straight, it reinforced Roman's status as the shortest. 

That little worm of insecurity was what kept him awake that night. He tossed and turned, more restless than a stormy sea. Eventually, he decided that trying to sleep was a horrible idea, and the least he could do was drink some tea.

So he got up, got his blanket, and went to the kitchen, only to be surprised at Deceit already there.

"Ah, hello Roman. Late night?" Deceit raised an eyebrow at Roman's rather ragged appearance.

"Can't sleep. You?"

"Same here." Deceit got up, turning on the kettle. "Tea, I take it? You never have been much of a coffee drinker. Romulus never was, either, so I don't know where Remus got it.' 

Roman sat down, pulling his blanket tighter. Part of him was surprised that Deceit knew Creativity before the split, but the rest of him knew better. Deceit was tied for the oldest side, after all. "You knew him? Before this?"

"Sure did. I served as his right hand in the kingdom." Deceit hummed, taking two mugs from the cupboard. "He was probably the only reason I didn't straight up leave the mind." 

Roman snorted at that, finding humor in the statement before he paused. "...how tall was he?"

Deceit thought for a moment, adding the tea bags and sweetener to the mugs. "He couldn't have been shorter than Logan. I think he clocked in above 7 and a half feet?"

Roman let out a low whistle. "Damn...how much of me was there in him?"

"Honestly, Ro, not much. Chivalry, yes, and reckless bravery. But Romulus was a terrifying King. His creativity was rather dark, leaning more towards Remus than you."

He paused to add the water, bringing the cups over and setting one in front of Roman.

As he watched Roman shrink a little at his admission, he connected the dots. 

"Are you asking because of insecurities?"

"What? No! I'm never insecure!" Roman scoffed, but the lie rang clear in Deceit's mind.

Deceit gave him a knowing stare, raising an eyebrow. "Roman. You cannot lie to the master of lies."

Roman stared down into his mug, idly swirling the spoon in it.

Deceit let a few minutes pass before speaking again. "You know you can talk to me, Roman."

"I know..." He sipped the tea. "I just...I thought maybe if there was more of me in the King, I'd have ended up taller."

Deceit hid a laugh behind those god-awful gloves of his. "Is that what this is about? Your height?"

Roman felt himself getting defensive. If he were a cat, his fur would be standing on end.

"You have no right to laugh at it."

Deceit held up his hands in surrender. "Don't worry, I won't tell. But your height is nothing to be ashamed of, Roman."

"Yes, it is. Who was the last Prince you ever heard of who was short?!" 

"I can think of several, but their stories don't matter right now. The majority of princes may be short, but that in now way incapacitates you from writing your own story." Deceit hummed, sipping his tea.

"I..." Roman glanced up at him. "Even if I'm barely 5 feet tall?"

"Don't let your height overtake you."

With that, Deceit sank out, leaving Roman to ponder over their discussion. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A day or so later, the sides were gathered to prepare for a new video. Roman was the last to appear, and the others immediately noticed a minor appearance change. 

Virgil raised an eyebrow. "Prince Underarm Stink, where's the 6 inch boots?"

"You do seem shorter, Roman. Did something happen to them?" Patton cocked his head, much like a puppy. 

"I found some new self confidence, is all." Roman grinned at them. "Never again will I let my short stature get in the way! I will still remain a mighty prince!" 

Virgil rolled his eyes, laughing fondly. "Ugh, your ego is still as big as ever."

"If you two start fighting again, I'm going to-" Logan ruffled through his flash cards "-eat an entire lemon?"

The room was silent for a moment before the sides burst out into laughter. 

"Oh Lo, you suck at slang." Roman grinned, teasing the taller side.

"Maybe so. Which is why you idiots need to teach me."

Virgil sighed and glanced at Roman. "Seriously though, princey, congrats on the confidence. God I wish that were me."

"Wait, say that again?" Logam scrambled for a new flash card, and the laughter began all over again with the hysteria of teaching Logan new slang.

The others never knew it was Deceit who helped Roman, but it wasn't relevant to their understanding. But if any of them noticed a certain snakelike side off in the shadows, winking at Roman whenever the prince was confident in his height, they didn't say a word.


End file.
